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Whether you are simply curious or have been advised by a doctor, you can use a stethoscope to listen to your own heartbeat and measure your pulse. This article will walk you through how to use a stethoscope on yourself, how to count your heartbeats, and how to turn your measurement into a BPM calculation. Read on for more info!
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhy am I getting static on my stethoscope?Arvind Madan is a Nephrologist based in Orlando, Florida. With over 23 years of experience, Arvind works as a Physician at Central FL Kidney Specialists and is the Principal Investigator of the research division there. Arvind is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, with a sub-specialty in Nephrology. He is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine. He is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM). He received his MD from Maulana Azad Medical College at Delhi University and completed his residency at Nassau County Medical Center.First, make sure that the diaphragm and the bells of your stethoscope are clean, a dirty stethoscope with pieces of debris will cause interference while listening. Never put your stethoscope over your clothes because the fabric will also muffle the sounds. Also, make sure to keep the stethoscope tubing untangled and not touching your clothes to avoid static and other noises.
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Tips
- It's not a great idea to place your thumb over the bell (unused side) of the stethoscope when holding it because the thumb has its own pulse and could mess your count up. You might like to hold it with your thumb and index fingers spread out and parallel, with the sides of the chestpiece in the space between them. [7] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to sourceThanks
- If you don't want to take clothing off it is also possible to place the stethoscope over the brachial artery, at the space where your elbow bends. To do this, expose your elbow and outstretch your arm so it is flat and put the diaphragm down, you will have to gently and slowly press softer to harder on your arm until you hear your pulse. For this you count all beats. [8] X Research sourceThanks
- You should consider using the stethoscope on bare skin to prevent it from picking up the sound of rustling fabric. The fabric can also soak up the sound and make your heart sound faint.Thanks
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Warnings
- If you do happen to hear anything other than the standard "lub-dub" sounds when you are listening to your heart, it may be beneficial to talk to your doctor about them, especially if you are feeling unusually sick. This would include anything you hear between "lub" and "dubs" or anything particularly high-pitched. Listen to recordings of normal heart sounds online to get an idea what your heart should sound like (although note that there is variation).Thanks
- Be careful not to bump anything with the chestpiece of the stethoscope while it is in you ears, the sound will carry and this is loud and unpleasant!Thanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about using a stethoscope, check out our in-depth interview with Arvind Madan .
References
- ↑ https://www.adctoday.com/blog/intro-your-stethoscope
- ↑ http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Stethoscope.html
- ↑ https://www.registerednursern.com/apical-pulse-assessment-and-location/
- ↑ https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes3/manuals/pressure.pdf
- ↑ https://www.rcm.org.uk/news-views-and-analysis/analysis/auscultation-the-art-of-listening
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-stethoscope/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/accidents-first-aid-and-treatments/how-do-i-check-my-pulse/
- ↑ https://www.medicine.mcgill.ca/physio/vlab/cardio/auscul.htm
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